DISCLAIMER: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.
PURPOSE: This case series explores the use of thrombin time (TT) to transition 2 patients from dabigatran to unfractionated heparin (UFH) in the setting of acute kidney injury (AKI) and coagulopathy concerning for dabigatran accumulation.
SUMMARY: Serial TT monitoring was employed until the value began to trend below 120 seconds, indicating ongoing drug clearance, at which point UFH was initiated. Patient 1 experienced rectal bleeding following initiation of UFH, while patient 2 experienced hemoglobin drops without an apparent bleeding source. No thrombotic events occurred during either hospitalization.
CONCLUSION: Individualized management remains paramount to balance bleeding and thrombotic risk based on patient-specific factors. Further research is warranted to validate the safety and efficacy of a TT-guided transition strategy and optimize protocols for hospitalized patients transitioning from dabigatran to UFH.
